Improvement in seeding-machines



M, L. GORHAM.

Seeding Machine. y

Patented May 3,' 1870.V

dead sans M, L. eoenAtL'or n ocnronn, 1LL'INoIs,

Letters Patent'No. 102,535, dated May 3,1870; antedatcd Apl'29, 1870.

IMPRQVEMENT IN SEEDING-MACHINES.

The Schedule referred to :in these Letters Patent and making partei-th. same To all whom tt may concern I Beit known that I, M.L. GORHAI, of Rockford, in the county of W'innebago and State of Illinois,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seeding-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings Amaking part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan or top view of: a seeding-machine with the lid removed, having my improvements ap@ plied to it. i

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section, taken in the line 11, iig. 1, and 2 2, fig. 3

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical' section, taken in the line3 3, iig. 1.

Figures 3g 5, and 6 are detached views ofthe seedscatterers; tig. 6 taken on the line 4 4, iig. 5.

Figures 7 andS are detached views of the dragteeth. v

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the seeddistributing wheels.

Figures l0 and 11 are views of the `supplemental grass-seed cups.

Figure 12 is an end view of the hopper, gear-wheels, Ste., with most-of the carrying-wheelremoved? Figure 13 is a side view of seed-distributing wheel, enlarged.

Figure 14 is an edgewise view of the same.

Figure 15 is a sectional view of the same, cut through on the line.5'5.

Similar letters of referencel indicate corresponding parts'in the several figures.

Whereas, on the 6th day of August, 1861, Letters PatentNo. 32,992, were issued to me for an improved seeding-machine, mounted. upon wheels, with lseedbox', seed-distributing wheels, seedfscatterers, &c.: A

Now,`the object ofthis invention is to improve said machine, so as to sow broad cast all small grains and grass-seeds in.the quantities desired, andthat will cultivate the ground and cover the seed at the same operation, and to-' provide a drag-tooth, that when it comes in contact with any substance otfering greater resistance than the strength of the tooth will bear, it will yield to such resistance and preventbreaking. These and other improvements, hereinafter described,

constitute vthe subjectmatter of this patent.

In thedr'awings- A represents a frame-work, in which Bis the draftpole. .lo the lower side'of the end-pieceof this frame, near midway of their' length, aregsecured the axles O C, upon which the wheels D Drevolve.

On the top of this frame, overthe axles, is secured the hopper or seed-box E,vvhich is of the same length ot the frame, and within this seed-box are placed y transversely verticaly partitionsmformng inclosures for the wheels F, which are .tted on a shaft G, that passes longitudinally through the hopperE.

This shaft, near its end, toward wheel D', but inside of the hopper, is provided with a universal joint b:

0n the outer end pf this shaft is placed the smaller toothed wheel c, which is held in Aplace by a pin'orv otherwise, and works into the toothed wheel d, secured to the hub of wheel D.

The bottom of the hopper E, underneath the wheels F, is curved out to form, a receptacle for the seed. Through. this bottom, underneath the wheels in this receptacle, there are small openings fitted ywith valves jl The hopper E, except at points beneath the wheels F, is provided witha second or upper bottom formed' of inclined planes g.

. The partitions a are provided with inclined troughs h upon their inner sides, whichvextend down to openings t', which open into the upper part of the scatter- 4ers H, which lare constructed as at figs. 4, 5, and 6.

With inverted V-shaped spouts 7t, a nd right-angle triangular piece-Zat their lower edges, these scatterersare placed on "the outsidev of the' hopper E, covering the openings t, with which the troughs h communicate.

The seed-distributing wheels F are provided with .seed-cups m, on forward part-s of arms a', and placed `at or nearly at right angles toa radial line. The extremities of the arms -'from the cups m rearward,

arebeveled on both sides,-forming double inclined planes.

side, through which the shaft G passes.

Over this hub, on the outside of the partitions a, are placed thimbles o, to which the stirrers p are attached, and secured in place by set-screws, or otherwise.

On the outside of the other partitions are similar thimbles 1*, with stirrers'placed upon the shaft G, held in place by screw or otherwise.

' The endy of shaft G, which carries the small toothed l wheel, is supported in a bearing in lever K, secured to end of-hopper E, as at fig. 12, and works in clasp s.

Through the extended end of this lever is passed the end' of lever L, which is supported upon the fulcrum t, and held in proper placeby ratchet u.

The supplemental cups, figs. 10 and 11, are constructed oi` proper fonn and size to pass into, and held Lin cups fm; in wheels F, as at fu, fig. 9.

The wedge-shaped slide-plates w are held in place onV the under side of beams vM by bolts passing through their slotted forward ends, and through the beams.

The drag-tooth N is passed through a mortise in These wheels are constructed with a hub, n, on onev the rear end of slide-plates iv, and also through a mortse in' beams .M, and is pivoted near their upper end to the beams.

On the sides of beams M, and forward ends, are secured ear-plates x, which extend forward of beam,

and are bent in V-form and strung up on the rod P, y

as at Q in g. 1,'in which a portion of thejbeam A is removed to'show the connections.

The rod I is supported in hangers y, secured to the under side and near the rear. end of 'cross-beams A of main frame.

On the upper and under sidesof --beam A are secured the pieces R and S, and inthe rearend oflt is pivoted the levers T. A

To these levers are secured, on hinge-bolt, the curved rods U, to the lower ends of which are secured the lifting-liams V, which are hinged by connections-W to rod The first part of my invention consists in constructing the partitions wa, `&c., in hopper E, so that the opening under them, to admit the seed from the seedbox to the seed-distributiug wheels, may be`of any proper depth,so as not to rise above the bottom of the shaft G, and extend from about the center of the bottom of the hopper to the side thereof, and upon the side of the hopper from which the wheels lift the seed, and thepartitions in the opening to be beveled only on the side next to the distributing-wheels, as seen at a a, 86e., iig. 2, and in dotted lines at a, fig. 3.

The second part of my invention consists in construeting the seed-distributing wheelsF with hub a, extending through partition a. suficiently to receive the stirrer-thimbles o, beyond which they are secured iu position on shaft G by suitable set-screws, by means ofwhich they are made adjust-ableiten the shaft, for the purpose of, placing them in proper position between the partitions ct a. l

The third part of my invention consists in providing suitable thimbles, o and r, withV strrers p p attached, the one placed upon the hubof wheel F, and the other upon the shaft G, outside of the partitions' lci a., forming the in'closures for wheels F, and secured in place by proper set-screws. These thimbles serve; to prevent the shaft G having any movement in the direction of its length, and the stirrers assist in carrying the seed to the'openings under partitions a a, and prevent their closing.

The fourth part of my invention consists in providthe shaft G, near its end, with a-nniversal joint, b,-

and the extended end of shaft G, carrying the toothed wheel'c, -has its bearing in leverK, which is screwed -by fulcrum-pin at one end to the end of seed-box E, the other and extended end being free to rise and fall under clasp s.

Through the extended end of lever K is passed the end of leverL, which works upon fulcrum Vt, secured to the side of the hopper E.

The ratchet u. is also secured to the same side of the hopper, near the hand or free end of the lever.v This lever is provided with a suitablecatch, at the proper place, to dropv into and takeA hold upon' the teeth of the ratchet u.

It will b eA seen that, by this arrangement, the toothed wheels c and d can be thrown into and out of gear, by raising and lowering the free end ot' lever Il, for the purpose' of starting andfstopping the distribution of the. seed, as4 desired.

It will also be seen that, by this arrangement, different-sized wheels can be used, instead of the wheel c, by which the Aspeed of the shaft G can belincreased or diminished, as the wheels are larger or -smaller than the wheel c, for the purpose of distributing more or less seed, as desired, and for adapting the lmachine to thc distribution of different kinds of seeds.

For the purpose of sowing different kinds of grassseed I have provided supplemental seed-cups', of

smaller capacity, and of proper form and size, to pass into and be held in the tubular cups m upon the peripheries of the wheels F.

The opening inthese cups may be of any proper size, and may or may not extend through Vthe whole of their length, and as represented at figs. 10 and 11, and seen in place at t', fig. 9, which embodies the fifth part of my invention.-

In tig. 7, M is a portion of a beam,'m'ortised near its rear end, to receive 'thetooth N.

To its under side is secured, by screw-bolt, ,the wedge-shaped slotted plate iv, through which the npper end of the' drag-tooth is passed, and pivoted in the forward end of the mortise, near the upper edge fof the beam, on a proper pin or bolt.

Fig. 8 is an under face view of plate w, showing -its construction.

It will be seen that, it' the tooth-N be subjected to a heavy strain from meeting with obstructions, the plate w will be forced back, and, when once started, will be instantly freed from the pressure of the bolthead, on account ofits wedge form, and the 'tooth will be liberated from all strain, and will assume the posit-ion represented by the dotted lines, as at fig. 7 The force required to relieve the tooth will depend upon thev -teusion upon the bolt. This embodies the sixth part of my invention.

The seventh part of my invention consists of a series of independent d1'ag teeth,N, secured in beamsl M, provided with ears x, secured to the sides of and extending forward of their forward ends, and bent in V-form, with their forward ends pierced to receive the rod P, upon which they are strung, as seen 'at q, fig. 1.

The rod P has its bearings in hangers y, secured to the. under side, and near the rear end ot' beams A of main frame. By this arrangement the teeth will be held parallel'tojand equidistant from each other, and left free to vibrate in a vertical direction', indepen dently, 4to enable them to pass obstructions. By this arrangement, the ground can be cultivated and the see'd covered at the same operation of' sowing.

)n the upper and under sides of' beam A' are secured the pieces R and YS, and in the rear end of R are pivoted the levers T. i, 4

To these leversJ are secured, on hinge-bolts, the curved rods U, to the lower end of which aresecuredA the lifting-beamsV, which are hinged to vrod P by connections W, as seen at W, gs. land 3.

These teeth can 'be lifted, whendesired, in sections of one-half, asat Ml, fig. 3, and, when so raised, the levers T, will be self-sustaining, as the curved rods U will have passed the fulcrum of the levers, and when they are lowered, as at M2, ig. 3, the levers will be supported upon the pieces's. 1

The rods U are curved, asat fig. 1, for the purpose of allowing the teeth to rise iu passing obstructions; all of which is embodied in the eighth part of my invention.

It will be seen that, by 'withdrawing the rodland the fulcrnm-pins of levers T, the drag and appliances will be detached, andthe machine left simplya broad-V 1 cast seeder. i l

For the purpose of enabling me to empty the seedbox o'r hopper Ev of any seed remaining in it, after having sown the quantity desired,-o r of changing theseed'to a diiiferentkind, I have provided'the openings through the bottom' of the 'seed-box E, underneath the seed-distributing wheels', and 4have `provided the openings with valves, f, for the purpose of opening and; closing them as desired. These openings ma-y be .madein any convenient place within Vthe inclosure formed by partitions a a, and may be tted withany convenient device for opening and closing' them as desired. This embodies the ninth part of my iuven` tion'.

The tenth part of myV invention consist-s-incon struoting'the seed-distributing wheels F in the diiferent figures, and, as seen enlarged atgs. 13 14, and 15, with arms a', the extremities of which are enlarged and beveled ou their outer edges, forming double inclined planes, as represented in-the different figures.

These arms a/ extend farther forward than rearward, and upon their forward parts, the cups m are placed at or nearly at right angles to a radial line, and the parts of the arms a underneath the oups m may be of any suitable form, and are provided with beveled edges.v

The object of this` arrangement is to produce a lifting seed-distributing wheel, with seed-oups relieved,A

so that, in passing upward through the seed, it will carry only that contained within the cups,

Having described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The thimbles o and r, with stirrers p attached, when constructed and applied as and for the purpose setforth. l 2; The universal joint b on shaft G, levers Kand L,` and ratchet u, when constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. 'lhe supplemental seed-cups, figs. 10 and 11,

forth. l l Y y 8. In a seeding-machine, supported upon carryingwheels, with lifting seed-distributingwheels, inelosed by partitions, with openings underneath to admit the` upon which the seed falls;l als, independent dragteeth, substantially for the purpose set forth.

M. L. GORHAM. Witnesses;

JACOB BEHEL,

R. C. BAILEY.

when constructed and applied as Vand for the purpoeS wheels with valves f, substantially for the purpose set seed to the seed-distributing wheels, with seatterers, y 

